Linkage having detachable telescoping links



June 12, 1962 c. J. OBST 3,038,296

LINKAGE HAVING DETACHABLE TELESCOPING LINKS Filed March 26, 1958 /0 0 I FlG. l E

1 /E E 75 I /E l T7 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. CHARLES J. OBST FIG. 7 BY I ATTO RN E Y nite Sttes 3,038,296 Patented June 12, 1962 3,038 296 LINKAGE HAVING DETA CHABLE TELESCOPING INKS The present invention relates to improvements in expansion bracelets of the type particularly used for watch bands.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved bracelet which is of an expansion nature and which requires relatively fewer parts than prior bracelets of the same general type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved expansion bracelet embodying novel means for effecting separability between adjacent bracelet links.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved expansion bracelet embodying separable means wherein separability can be positively eifected when desired and accidental separation of adjacent links is substantially impossible.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved expausible bracelet embodying compression spring means for resiliently urging the links to their contracted relationship and wherein means is provided for preventing over compression of the resilient means while at the same time limiting outward expansion of the bracelet.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a section of an expansion bracelet in accordance With the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the bracelet section of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but wherein the bottom shell is cut away to show the internal elements, and with the telescopic plate shown in its fully extended position at the left, in its semiretracted position at the center, and in its fully retracted position at the right of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View showing a pair of adjacent links in the relationship permitting separability;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the components of a single link of the expansion bracelet;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 66 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 77 in FIGURE 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals apply to like parts throughout, it will be seen in FIGURES 1 through 3 that a section of expansion bracelet 10 is shown which comprises a plurality of links 12 with certain of the links 12' being provided with means aflording separability of adjacent links.

Having reference now to FIGURE 5, the component elements of one of the links 12' will now be described. The link 12' includes a top shell 14 which may have embossed thereon a preselected design or may have attached thereto or carried thereby ornamental means affording a preselected design to the overall bracelet. The top shell 14 is formed with a pair of depending side walls 16 which are formed with tabs as at 18. The link assembly 12 includes a coil type compression spring 20 which is preferably of an elongated rectangular or eliptical form.

Another element of the assembly 12 is the plate element 22 which comprises a generally rectangular plate with a central cut-out at 24 providing a pair of spaced legs at 26 and 28 joined at their ends by the means 30 and the bar 32. The means 30 includes an offset portion 34 which acts as a spring retainer by being received Within one end of the coil compression spring 20' as will be described hereinafter. The plate 26 has at the end remote from the spring retainer means 34 a pair of outturned fingers 36. As shown, the fingers have first portions extending longitudinally of the bracelet at 38 and second portions extending laterally as at 40. The lateral portions 40 of the fingers 36 are spaced from the legs 26 and 28 so as to provide slots at 42 and 44 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The bottom shell 46 completes the assembly for a single link 12'. The bottom shell 46 includes a generally flat bottom at 48 with side flanges at '50 and 52 adapted to be re ceived between the depending flanges 16 of the top shell 14. The bottom shell 46 has oflsets along the side edges at 54 and 56 so that portions of the depending flanges 16 can be bent with the tabs 18 engaged in the offset portions 54 and 56 to couple the upper and lower shells together thereby forming a link housing. The shell 46 has a flange at 58 which extends into abutment with the top shell 14 so as to constitute an end wall of one link housing against which the compression spring 20 can abut, as will presently be seen. Adjacent the opposite end of the bottom shell 46, is a narrower flange 60 which is disposed opposite the flange 58 and is adapted to be received between the leg portions 62 of the spring retainer means 34, as seen best in FIGURE 3. The shell 46 also is formed with a pair of inturned shoulders at 64 and 66.

For the purpose of affording separability, the bottom shell 46 is formed with an arcuate slot at 63 which extends from adjacent the shoulder 66 substantially along the path of a circle, the center of which is adjacent the other shoulder 64. The slot 68 terminates in an enlarged portion .70 outwardly of the slot 68 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Looking now at FIGURES 2 and 7, it will be seen that the top shells have their depending flanges '16 bent so as to be coupled with the bottom shells 46, and dimples are provided as at 72 so as to keep the top shell from moving longitudinally relative to the bottom shell.

Having reference now to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the plate 22 is received within a housing formed by the top and bottom shells 14 and 46, respectively, with the bar 32 outwardly of the flange 58 and the spring retainer means 34 inwardly of the flange 60. The compression spring 20 is engaged over the spring retainer means 34 within the housing and against the internal surface of the flange 58 so as to normally urge the plate 26 to its contracted relationship with the housing formed by the shells 14 and 46. The plate 26 of an adjacent link has its fingers 36, and particularly the laterally extending portions 40 thereof, engaged behind the cooperative inturned shoulders 64 and 66, the inturned shoulders 64 and 66 being received within the slots 42 and 44 above mentioned, whereby adjacent links are interconnected. It is to be especially noted that each plate 22 is provided with cut-away portions at 43 and 45 so as to receive the fingers 36 therein when the bracelet is contracted. Such cut-away portions provide for the oifsetting of the means 30 with respect to the cut-away portion which makes possible use of a longer spring and extended telescoping movement. Thus, the expansion limits of the bracelet are increased.

Looking now at the center portion of FIGURE 3, it will be seen that by applying tension to adjacent links, the plate 26 will be extended in opposition to the urging of the compression spring 26 thereby providing expan sion of the bracelet made up of such links.

At the left hand end of FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the plate '26 is fully extended from its housing and the compression spring is compressed between the spring retainer means 34 and the flange 58. The spring retainer means abuts the flange 58"so as to limit outward extension of the plate 26 and-prevent overcompression of the spring 20.

In order to effect separability'of adjacent links, it is merely necessary to pivot one link with respect to another about the fingers 40 thereof. Reference is made to FIG- URE 4 wherein the link 12 is pivoted from the dotted line position A upwardly through an angle of approximately 90 with respect to the adjacent link 12' to the position shown in dotted lines at B, rotation being about the fingers 40 which are engaged behind the inturned shoulders at 64 and 66 of the housing 12'. It is to be noted that the slots 42 and 44 of the plate 26 are sufficiently large to permit such pivoting without interference by the inturned shoulders 64 and 66. With the link 12 in the position shown at B, the plate 26 of the link 12' is pulled to its fully extended position, as shown at the left in FIGURE 3, and then the link 12 is pivoted about one of its fingers while the other finger traverses the slot 68 to the end thereof at 70, as shown in full lines. At this point, the link 12 can be disengaged from the link 12 by disengaging one of the fingers through the end of the slot at 70 while the opposing finger is disengaged through the cutback at 74 in the bottom shell 46.

In this fashion, adjacent links can be separated and entire links removed from the expansion bracelet, or additional links inserted into a bracelet, for shortening, lengthening or interchanging links,'as desired.

As shown, the bracelet section is made up of links which are slightly arcuated so as to conform to the curve of the wrist of the wearer. Of course, this is a preferred construction but the same is not a necessary part of my invention.

From the foregoing, it is believed that I have provided a construction which fulfills the objects hereinbefore enumerated.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claim rather than by the description preceding it, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claim or that forrn their functional a well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by this claim.

I claim:

A link chain for bracelets and the like comprising a series of top shells and a series of bottom shells, each of said top shells having one of said bottom shells connected thereto to constitute one link housing having open ends, a plate element telescopically received in each of said housings, each said plate element comprising a generally fiat plate slidably extensible from its respective housing, spring retainer means at one end of each said plate cooperative with its housing limiting outward movement from the housing, each housing having resilient means therein cooperative with the respective plate spring retainer means to normally urge the latter to its retracted position, each housing having at one end adjacent the next cooperative housing a pair of inturned shoulders,

each of said plates having at its other, outer end a pair of outturned fingers entering one of said open ends and engaged behind the shoulders of and within an adjacent housing, each of said bottom shells having portions overlying the fingers preventing disengagement of said fingers from behind said shoulders by relative movement in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the plate and slots adjacent said portions communicating with said one open end permitting relative pivoting of adjacent plates and housings through an angle of about at said fingers, each plate having said one end thereof formed with cut-away portions receiving the fingers on the other end of the'neXt adjacent plate therein in a nested relation, said other end of each plate having the fingers thereat being cut-away between the fingers, and said one end of each plate having said spring retainer means receiving one end of the resilient means thereagainst outwardly of said first mentioned cut-away portions and normally nested in the second mentioned cutaway between the fingers of the next adjacent plate, at least certain of said bottom shells each having one of said slots therein extending from adjacent one of said shoulders of the respective housing along an arcuate path, and each said one slot having the end thereof remote from said one shoulder enlarged whereby with said adjacent plates and housings in said angular relationship, one housing with its plate can be pivoted about its finger located at the other shoulder while the other finger traverses the slot formation to said remote end at which it can be disengaged and said adjacent plates and housings separated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,526,675 Mealy Feb. 17, 1925 1,630,236 Nittel May 24, 1927 1,695,505 Prestinari Dec. 18, 1928 1,774,334 Luft Aug. 26, 1930 2,561,381 Kiefer July 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 33,605 Germany July 19, 1956 775,855 Great Britain May 29, 1957 1,147,531 France June 11, 1957 

